Scaffold raising and lowering device



1 March 18, 1930. l J, F CQSTELLO 1,751,131

SCAFFOLD RAISING AND LOWERING DEVICE Filed July 27, 1927 a Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNEYS.

BY o mmd,

March 18, 1930. J. F. COSTELLO SCAFFOLD RAISING AND LOWERING DEVICE Filed July 27, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR. 606105605 r W A TTORNEYS.

We? $31M 1 I IV: 1

mam iii March 18, 1930. J. F. COSTELLO 1,751,131

SCAFFOLD RAISING AND LOWERING DEVICE Filed Jfily 27, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. jwwvmzem v: i 24%; r M fig ATTORNEYS;

Patented Mar. 18, 1930 STATES UNITE JAMES F. COSTELLO, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA SCAFFOLD RAISING AND LOWERING DEVICE Application filed July 27, 1927. Serial No. 208,726.

This invention reates to a scaffold raising and lowering device and especially to that type in which the scaffold is supported by means of two or more cables attached to overhead outrigger beams .or the like and in which means are employed for raising and lowering the scaffold with relation to the cables.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of devices of the character described; to provide means on the scaffold .which may be operated by the men on the scafiold to raise and lower the scaffold. with relation to the cables; and further to provide interspaced collars on the cables which will serve as supports for the scaffold when it remains stationary and during the raising and lowering operation. The inven- 2 tion is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end view of'the scaffold, said View showing a portion of the building and the outrigger beams from which the scaffold and the supporting cables are suspended,

Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section of the scaffold supporting, raising and lowering mechanism,

Fig. 3 is a similar section showing the raising and lowering carriage in its raised position,

Fig. 4 is a front view of tubes,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the keeper plate,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the pawls,

Fig. 7 is an end view of one of the pawl connecting links,

Fig. 8 is an end view showing a modified form of the invention in which only two cables are employed, one at each end of the scaffold, said View also showing a modified one of the guide form of outrigger support,

Fig. 9 is a front view of one end of the scaffold and the supporting means shown in Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings in detail, par ticularly Figs. 1, 2 and 3, A indicates the 0 side wall or, face of a building, B an out rigger beam, C the supporting platform of the scaffold, and D the cables which are suspended from the outrigger beam and which serve as a support for the scalioldl The scaffold proper or the supporting platform 0 may be constructed in any suitable manner. Crossbeams, ordinarily termed putlogs, such as indicated at 2 are employed andthese form a support for a planking or platform 3 and a toe board 1. Suitably securedto the so crossbeams 2 or putlogs are guide tubes 5. Four of these tubes areusually employed, one at each corner of the scaffold or platform. The cables D extendthrough the tubes and are guided thereby. The cables have interspaced collars secured thereon as indicated at 6 and means are carried by the guide tubes for supporting the scaliold with rela- I tion to the collars and the cables, and also for raising and lowering the scaflold with m relation to the collars on the cables (see Figs.

2, 3 and 4). The mechanism consists of an upper stationary carriage 7 fixed to the tube 5 and to which is pivotally attached as at 8 a plurality of pawls such as indicated at 7 9. The pawls are connected by means of a U-shaped connecting link 10 (see Figs. 2, 3 and 7), and the lower ends of the pawls are .fork shaped as shown in Fig. 6 to straddle the cable and to engage the collars 6. 89 The upper carriage will hereinafter be referred to as the supporting carriage. A sec- 0nd or lower carriage is employed as indicated at 11. This lower carriage is reciprocally mounted'on the guide tube .5 and 8% may assume either the lowered position shown in Fig. 2 or the raised position shown in Fig. 3, reciprocal movement being imparted to the lower carriage by means of a manually operated lever 12 pivoted'to the lower end 911 i of the stationary carriage 7 and a connecting link. The lower carriage is provided with a plurality of pawls 14: which are pivotally attached at their upper ends as indicated at 15. The lower ends of the .pawls are fork shaped as shown in Fig. 6 in a mannersimilar to the pawls 9 so as to straddle the cable and to engage the collars. and the pawls are also connected by means of a link 16 similar to that bewr inF g. 7. The n e f of and the cable and the collars secured thereto 7 thus readily enter without danger of hanging up or catching on the ends of the .guide tubes.

In actual operation, the upper carriage merely serves one function, to wit, that of supporting the scaffold or platform C when in stationary position. The lower carriage, on the other hand, serves two functions, to wit, either that of raising or lowering the scaffold. IVhen the scaffold remains in stationary position, the carriage assumes the position shown in Fig. 2. If it is desired to raise the scaffold, the operating lever 12 is raised to the position shown at 12 (see Fig. 8). Through means of link 13, carriage 11 is raised and the pawls 14: are brought into engagement with a second set of collars. By depressing the lever from the position shown at 12 tothe position shown at 12 in Fig.2, the guide tube, the carriage 7 and the platform 0 are raised and the pawls 9 are brought into engagement with the second set of collars, the platform or scaffold being in'this manner raised one step, the step or distance being equal to the spacing between the collars. If it is desired to raise the scaffold another step,it is accomplished by again'raising the lower carriage to the position shown in Fig. 3 and then depressing the lever as previously de-, scribed. The'pawls on the lower carriage accordingly support the scaffold during the raisingoperation, while the pawls 9 support the scaffold when stationary. That is, the upper end of the carriage 7 engages the upper end of the link 10 and rests thereon. This link is in turn supported by the pawls and these are in turn supported by the collars 6. If it is desired to lower the scaffold, the lower carriage will assume the position shown in Fig.

lever ing such depression will lift'the guide tube, the upper carriage and the scaffold a sufficient distance to permit the pawls 9 to be swung out ofengagement with the collars 6. That is, the intermediate pawl shown in Fig. 2 is provided with a handle extension 9*. This is grasped and pulled upwardly when the pawls are released and the pawls are thus swung about the pivots 8 away from the cable andjthe lugs. The lever 12 is then swungupwardly to the position shown at 12 and the moment the collars 6 are cleared bythe pawls, lever extension 9 is released so that the pawls will automatically return by spring action as shown at 20 to engage the next set of collars when the lever reaches the position shown at 12 If it is desired to lower the scaffold another step, it' is necessary to raise the lever to 12 will be further depressed and dur- 7 mits rapid raising andlowering of the scaf fold and as a plurality of pawls are employed,

the load is evenly distributed to a number ofsupporting collars when raising andlowering. A plurality of pawls are also employed in the upper carriage and the load of the scaffold when stationary will as such be distributed to the supporting cables.

In actual practice, I prefer four cables, two at eachend of the scaffold as-shown in Fig. 1. In some instances where light work is being performed and where a smaller scaffold may be employed,'one cable at each end of the scafiold may be used as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. A modified form of outrigger such as indicated at 25 may also be employed in that instance. Where a large scaffold is employed and the workmen are in'danger of being struck by'falling objects, an overhead protection in the form of a platform such as indicated at E is desired. The over-V head protection consists of planks 26 supported by crossbeams 27 These beams are e secured to extension guide tubesj28. Thesetubes are best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 8. They are secured to the upper ends of the main guide tubes 5 by means of bars such as shown at 29. Their inner faces are slotted as indicated at 30 to permit them to be passed over the cables and their upper ends are provided with keeper plates to guide them with relation to the cables. These plates are best illustrated in Figs. 2, 8' and 5. Their upper ends are hook shaped as shown at 31. They are slipped in through the upper ends'of the auxiliary guide tubes 28 and when the position is assumed as shown in Figs. 2 and 3*,a

34 and under a pair of lugs 35 formed on the guide tube. The keeper plates are thus secured both against upward and downward movement and they close the upper' end of the slot 30, and as such form a perfect guide with relation to the cables' The overhead platform or protection 26, together with the crossbeams and tubes 28supporting and securing the same, may or may not be used as desired. The cables employed are preferably steel wire cables. The interspaced collars which are secured thereto may be pressed, crimped, welded or otherwise secured and as such form permanent steps or supports with which the. pawls 9 and 11 engage when raising or lowering the scaflold. Any type of guard rail may be employed, for instance, such as illustrated at 40 (see Figs. 8 and 9), and the guard rail may obviously be secured in any suitable manner. Again the guard rail may consist of a cable or the like such as indicated at 41 which is secured to the guide tubes 5.

WVhile certain features of the present invention are more or less specifically described, I wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims. Similarly that various materials and finishes of the several parts employed may be such as the manufacturer may decide or varying conditions or uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s 1- 1. In a device of the character described, an overhead outrigger support, a cable sus pended therefrom, a scaffold, a guide memher on the scaffold through which the cable extends, a plurality of interspaced collars secured on the cable, a carriage reciprocally mounted on the guide member, means for imparting a reciprocal movement to the carriage, a pawl on the carriage, said pawl engaging one of the collars on the cable and supporting the scaffold when raising or lowering the same, and other means engaging .the collars on the cable and supporting the scaffold when stationary.

2. In a device of the character described, an overhead outrigger support, a cable suspended therefrom, a scaffold, a guide member on the scaffold through which the cable extends, a plurality of interspaced collars secured on the cable, a carriage reciprocally mounted on the guide member, means for imparting a reciprocal movement to the carriage, a pawl on the carriage, said pawl engaging one of the collars on the cable and supporting the scaffold when raising or lowering the same, a stationary carriage on the guide member, and a pawl on said stationary carriage engageable with one of the collars on the cable and adapted to support the scaffold when stationary.

3. In a device of the character described, an overhead outrigger support, a cable sus pended therefrom, a scaffold, a guide member on the scaffold through which the cable extends, a plurality of interspaced collars secured on the cable, a carriage reciprocally mounted on the guide member, means for imparting a reciprocal movement to the carriage, a pawl on the carriage, said pawl engaging one of the collars on the cable and supporting the scaffold when raising or lowering the same, a stationary carriage on the guide member, a pawl on said stationary carriage engageable with one of the collars on the cable and adapted to support the scaffold when stationary, and means for moving the pawls on either of the carriages into and out of engagement with the collars on-the cable.

4. The combination with an overhead supportand a cable suspended therefrom, of a plurality of interspaced collars secured on the cable, a scaffold, a guide tube on the scat. fold through which the cable extends, a stationary supporting carriage on the tube, a pawl on said carriage engageable with any one of the collars on the cable to support the I scaffold in a stationary position, a second carriage, a pawl mounted thereon and engageable with any one of the collars, and a lever actuated mechanism whereby reciprocal movement may be imparted to the last named carriage to raise or lower the scafiold with relation to the cable and the collars secured thereto.

5. The combination with an overhead support and a cable suspended therefrom, of a plurality of interspaced collars secured on the cable, a scaffold, a guide tube on the scaffold through which the cable extends, a stationary supporting carriage on the tube, a plurality of pawls on the carriage and engageable with the collars on the cable and adapted to support the scaffold in a stationary position, a second carriage reciprocally mounted on the guide tube, a plurality of pawls on the second named carriage engageable with the collars on the cable, means for imparting a reciprocal movement to the second named carriage and the pawls to raise and lower the scaffold, and means for throwing the pawls on the first named carriage out of engagement with the cable and the collars when lowering the scaffold.

6. The combination with an overhead support and a cable suspended therefrom, of a plurality of interspaced collars secured on the cable, a scaffold, 'a guide tube on the scaffold through which the cable extends, a stationary supporting carriage on the tube, a plurality of pawls on the carriage and engageable with the collars on the cable and adapted to support the scaffold in a stationary position, a second carriage reciprocally mounted on the guide tube, a plurality of pawls on the second named carriage engageable with the collars on the cable, means for imparting a reciprocal movement to the sec- 0nd named carriage and the pawls to raise and lower the scaffold, means for throwing the pawls on the first named carriage out of engagement with the cable and the collars when lowering the scaffold, and means for throwing the pawls on the second named carriage out of engagement with the cable and the collars when imparting a lowering movement to the second named carriage.

7. In a scaffold supporting, raising and lowering mechanism of the character described and the cables cooperating therewith, a plurality of guide tubes, a scaffold supported thereby, said guide tubes also carryupper end of each auxiliary guide tube.

JAMES F. COSTELLO. 

